


Promise

by rockwell_psycho



Category: Moon (2009)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Tension, Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Kissing, Loneliness, Mutual Pining, Neck Kissing, Reader-Insert, Sharing a Bed, Smut, Tender Sex, Touch-Starved, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 04:09:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16905840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockwell_psycho/pseuds/rockwell_psycho
Summary: ...you were on the way to Sarang Station, a Lunar Industries helium-3 facility on the far side of the Moon. The facility actually required only one person to maintain operations there, but that person seemingly had some problems. The station was provided with an artificial intelligence called GERTY, and for some reason it broke down. That made Sam Bell, the operator of the facility, request a rescue team. And here’s where your work started. You could, without false modesty, call yourself a young and perspective specialist in artificial intelligence. You knew this type of robots very well and were able to provide necessary help in fixing it. You were also a really good technician, so your mission there was first of all GERTY, but second - you had to suggest Sam Bell your assistance dealing with any other technical difficulties he experienced...





	Promise

**Author's Note:**

> It’s a different story, not connected with my previous writings about Sam Bell. This fic is rather long (12 pages in Times New Roman 12 - probably the longest I’ve written so far), I didn’t intend it, but it just happened. Hope you won’t be too bored and it didn’t turn out too cheesy.

You were on your way to the Moon. It sounded surreal. And felt surreal as well. You were well trained and prepared for this flight, but still it was so much different when you got into a real spaceship. Now you were on the way to Sarang Station, a Lunar Industries helium-3 facility on the far side of the Moon. The facility actually required only one person to maintain operations there, but that person seemingly had some problems. The station was provided with an artificial intelligence called GERTY, and for some reason it broke down. That made Sam Bell, the operator of the facility, request a rescue team. And here’s where your work started. You could, without false modesty, call yourself a young and perspective specialist in artificial intelligence. You knew this type of robots very well and were able to provide necessary help in fixing it. You were also a really good technician, so your mission there was first of all GERTY, but second - you had to suggest Sam Bell your assistance dealing with any other technical difficulties he experienced. You had a communication device to send reports to your bosses. After the end of your work they were gonna send a shuttle to pick you up and return you back to the Earth.

The two pilots who navigated your spaceshuttle were really calm and chill, and you tried hard to play it cool as well, but on the inside you were extremely nervous. You were flying to the Moon! You were sure there won’t be a problem for you to complete the mission and fix this robot though, but still the realization of where you were now made you feel goosebumps. Also that Sam Bell… You were hoping to get on well with him, but anything could happen…

***

Finally it was time to leave the shuttle. Sam Bell met you at the entrance of the station and helped you to get out of your spacesuit as you got inside. Without his suit he looked like a pretty regular guy with a slightly messy hair, light stubble and big curious green eyes. To your surprise, he seemed a bit nervous as well.

\- Wow, umm… Hello, I’m Sam. Sam Bell, - he chuckled awkwardly, ruffling his hair. - So, are you… Are you an artificial intelligence specialist?

\- Yes, I am, - you replied. - My name is y/n. I’m here to fix GERTY and provide any technical assistance you need. I will also run some equipment tests. As my bosses say, I’m here for a couple of weeks, maybe a month, we’ll see how it goes. They won’t send another rescue team, so I have to make sure if everything works well before I leave… What?.. - You asked as you caught his surprised glance.

\- Nothing, you just… look quite young for such a serious specialist.

You slightly rolled your eyes at this.

\- You’re not the first person saying this, but I’m a good specialist, trust me. Otherwise I wouldn’t be working for Lunar.

\- Hey, I didn’t really mean to offend you! I just think it’s very cool, you must be super smart, - Sam smiled at you in a friendly way.

\- Oh… Well, thank you… - you replied sheepishly. Your head and your whole body felt extremely heavy and you found it quite hard to concentrate at the moment, so you closed your eyes and rubbed your temples.

\- Y/n, are you alright? - Sam asked.

\- You know, Sam… I’m actually not feeling very well, - you confessed. He frowned, nodding with compassion.

\- First flight, right? Well that’s pretty normal. You know, even when you travel to another country your body needs some adaptation… And now you’re on a different planet! I felt really shitty when I got here first too, - he assured you with a warm smile. - You just need some good rest. Come on, let’s get you to your room.

You followed Sam along the corridors of the lunar base. Each of them looked the same to you, but he navigated easily and clearly felt like home.  _“Well, he’s been here for two years already, after all…”_  - you thought to yourself.

\- Here we are, - Sam opened the door for you. - Sleep well, and um… See you in the morning. Oh, and my room is over there, by the way, - he pointed at the door on the opposite side of the corridor. - Feel free to knock and ask if you need anything.

You gave him a tired smile.

\- Thanks, Sam… It’s really nice to meet you.

\- Yeah, nice to meet you too, y/n, - he smiled back at you a little shyly and left the room.

You’ve honestly never felt this exhausted before. You wanted to take a shower and change your clothes, or to brush your teeth at least… but all you could do was lie on the bed and close your eyes. You dozed off almost immediately.

***

You were sleeping soundly without any dreams, and of course you couldn’t know how Sam Bell felt at that moment. And he felt excited. It also seemed surreal for him that after two years of almost complete isolation he finally wasn’t alone. At least for a while, at least for a couple of weeks - he didn’t care. He felt happy and… a little bit scared. He felt the urge to go check if you were still here, if you were real, not some sort of hallucination… He was afraid that if you’d wake up to see him staring you’d consider him a weirdo, but he just couldn’t help it. 

***

Some movement in the room woke you up. You blinked, but your eyelids were still heavy and your vision was blurry, you could only register some figure standing in front of you. You probably flinched a bit because the figure told you in already familiar Sam’s voice:

\- Sorry, did I scare you? I’m not a maniac, I swear, - a little nervous laughter escaped him.

\- I just… brought you this blanket. It’s really comfy. Go back to sleep, okay?

He bent down and you felt him covering you with soft fabric.

\- Okay… Thanks… - you mumbled softly, drifting back to sleep.

The blanket felt really cozy and warm.

***

When you woke up again, you felt much better. It was weird though. You had no idea what time it was, day or night, or how much time you’ve been sleeping for. But you felt better and it was the most important thing. You took a shower, opened the wardrobe and found some t-shirts and sweatpants with Lunar Industries logo on them. You got dressed and went out of the room to find something to eat, because you were hungry as hell. Seemed like you’ve slept for a week or so.

You stumbled around the corridors for a while before you found the right way. The place you got into was probably a kind of a dining room of this base. You found Sam there having breakfast too. He smiled as he saw you entering the room. You thought to yourself that you definitely liked him. His smile was sincere and he seemed to be a simple and trustworthy guy. That was a relief: there was only you and him, and you had to spend some time here. Before this mission you were a bit worried - what if that Sam Bell was a grumpy guy who totally wouldn’t enjoy your presence? But no, he was nice and seemed to be really glad to see you.

\- Hey! How are you feeling, y/n? Slept well?

\- Yeah, feeling much better, thank you. How long was I asleep, by the way?.. - You asked.

\- Umm… About 12 hours or so… But don’t worry, it’s a normal thing, really. Are you hungry maybe?

\- I’m starving.

\- No panic, there’s plenty of food for us! - Sam winked and you couldn’t help but smile.

\- Are you always in such a good mood, Sam?

\- I’m just really happy to have someone around here, - he shrugged looking a bit shy again. - So… What do you want to eat? I can recommend you some really nice stuff…

***

After the breakfast you wanted to start your work, but Sam had a better idea.

\- I assume you’re not in a hurry, right? - He said, smiling mischievously. - Also, you’ll have to spend some time here, so I thought… How about a little excursion?

\- Oh yes, that’ll be great! - You agreed. – I mean… I almost got lost on my way to this dining room, so yeah…

\- Well, that’s easier than it seems, actually. You’ll get used very soon. I’ll show you.

You spent almost the whole day walking around the base. Sam showed you everything, starting with the technical modules and ending with the gym. He showed you a recreation room where you could relax and watch a movie, read a book or play some board game. There was a model of a town which Sam was building by himself. He also showed you his plants. He introduced them by names and it was funny, but also you couldn’t help but thinking of how lonely must this man feel if he started giving names to plants.

Sam even showed you his room. It was cozy, in your opinion, with lots of photographs on the wall above his bed. It pretty much reminded you of your own bedroom. You liked photography and you also had a lot of pictures on the walls, and because you were usually too busy at work to buy frames, your photos were in just a chaotic order. The same thing you could see on Sam’s wall. There were lots of pictures of a blond girl, probably Sam’s wife, you guessed. But still you couldn’t resist asking him about her. Your guess was right, the blond girl was his wife Tess. They had a little daughter as well. Actually, Sam hadn’t seen her yet - Tess was pregnant when he left.

\- I was hoping they’ll give me a couple of months, so that I could at least go to the hospital with her, but oh well… - Sam shrugged.

\- Hey… Don’t be sad, - you said with a smile. - Look, you’re more than half way there. One more year and you’ll be able to see and hug them, isn’t it great?

\- Yeah, you’re right, - Sam nodded. - That’s what I’m thinking about on the hardest days…

He sighed, but then smiled at you again.

\- Nevermind. By the way… Wanna see something really cool? Way cooler than all this stuff on the base.

\- You sound quite tempting, - you laughed.

\- Yep, but it’s true. Wanna go check the harvester with me?

\- The harvester? You mean… going out?..

\- Uh-huh. Every day I put on a spacesuit, hop into the rover and go get a helium-3 canister from a harvester. Wanna join? We can even get out of the rover and have a little walk if you want…

\- Of course! - You exclaimed. - When will I get another opportunity to walk on the surface of the Moon??

\- I knew you’d be excited, - Sam winked. – Let’s go get dressed than.

***

You could hardly describe the variety of emotions that overwhelmed you when you got out of the lunar rover and stepped on the surface of the Moon for the very first time. Sam went to the harvester and instructed you to stay close to the rover and not to walk too far. But you didn’t really need to walk. You just stood there staring around. This complete desert-like emptiness and dead silence both fascinated and scared you. Under this dark sky, facing the infinity of space, where the planet you and billions of other people live, walk and breathe seemed nothing more than just a tiny blue marble, you felt so small and insignificant like never before. This sensation made you feel slightly uncomfortable, but still you were excited and grateful for this experience. 

\- Hey, is everything fine? - Sam asked as you got back to the base and were taking off your space suits. - You’re so silent… What are you thinking about?

\- Umm… You, actually, - you replied.

\- Me? - Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise.

\- Yes, well… Okay, so when I was standing there next to the rover waiting for you and looked around, it was… Wow, it was quite overwhelming, right? Probably Neil Armstrong felt this excitement too, you know… - Sam nodded, demonstrating that he understands completely what you were talking about. - But at the same time, - you continued, - I felt really small in the scale of entire universe… And… I felt kinda lonely, even though I knew you were around. And then I thought about you. I mean… I never considered your job easy, I’m not that dumb. But… Only now I realized how hard it must be for you to… Just be here all alone for such a long time… 

\- Yeah, well… - Sam shrugged with a deep sigh. - I actually could say something like “hey, I’m a professional, so it’s not a big deal”, - he chuckled, - but it’s only you and me here and I’ll be honest with you - it’s quite hard at times. First couple of months it’s okay, but then… Then you start to think about the life on other planets, you know. Like, how cool it would be if some aliens invaded this base… It would be at least some ** _real_** , almost human interaction…

He laughed a bit sadly at his own words.

\- So you start to speak with plants and inanimate objects… GERTY is fine too, but still it’s so not the same as talking to a real person. But damn, when GERTY broke down, it was… ugh…

\- I can imagine…

\- I think I had some kind of panic attack when I realized I lost even this companion. Hell, I nearly sobbed like a baby… damn… - A shy laughter escaped him. - That’s so freaking embarrassing. Don’t tell anyone, okay?

He looked at you with such soft puppy eyes that you really wanted to hug him. But you didn’t really think it was appropriate since you two hardly knew each other. So you just nodded with a warm compassionate smile.

\- Promise? - Sam smiled back at you. His smile was simple and heartwarming.

\- Promise.

***

Day by day you were getting used to live at Sarang Station. You were quite a light sleeper, so every morning you woke up to the sounds of Sam’s alarm clock screaming  _“I am the one and only…”_  so loudly that you could hear it from his room on the opposite side of the corridor. You were wondering how the hell he didn’t get a heart attack yet, but Sam just shrugged:  _“What can I say? I like my music loud…”_  Actually, you and Sam had a very similar taste in music – you both thought there’s nothing better than good old rock’n’roll.

You and Sam were getting on very well. You’ve never thought you’d be able to feel so comfortable around someone in such a short period of time, but you really had an impression that you knew Sam for ages. Your sympathy seemed mutual. You laughed at each other’s silly jokes and funny stories and you could talk for hours about nothing and everything at once - your families, interests, your studies in the university and your preparations before the first flights.

Once Sam brought an old Polaroid and suggested to make a couple of pictures together.

\- It’s just… I think I’ve already told you that I’m really glad that you are here, - he explained with a shy smile on his face. - It’s honestly much better than the alien invasion, you know, - he laughed. - So… I’m gonna cherish these memories when you’ll be gone.

\- Well… I’m really flattered, - you tried to sound casual, but felt your cheeks blushing at his words. - Yeah, pictures is a good idea, why not? Let’s do it.

Together you made a couple of rather awkward photos, but the last one was really very good and you both looked absolutely happy on it.

\- I’ll stick it on GERTY after you leave, - Sam laughed again, but then looked at you quite seriously. - You know, I will really miss you a lot, y/n…

\- I will miss you too, Sam… - You replied sincerely. - But hey, first - I’m not leaving yet! And second - I will totally send you a video message like Tess does. So promise me not to be too sad, okay?..

\- Okay, - Sam nodded, his green eyes looking at you softly. - Promise.

***

Most of your days here were similar to one another. You asked Sam to make a list of any stuff he had technical difficulties with and thought they might require your check-up, so he wrote it for you on a sheet of paper.  _“My handwriting is kinda shitty, sorry…”_  - he said, but you managed to understand it without problems. During the day you worked on GERTY’s program, tested the systems of the base and fixed some glitches from that list. Sam was also busy with his usual routine. And the evenings, of course, you spent together. You liked these evenings; they were so nice and cozy it was hard to believe you were actually at a lunar base. At times like this you really felt like home. Sometimes you played some board games, or you helped Sam with his model, but your favorite activity was watching movies. For some reason there were mostly old classic movies in your disposition, but you didn’t mind. You always thought old movies have some special charm.

\- You know what is missing here? - Sam asked one night when you decided to enjoy some spaghetti western and switched on “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.

\- What?

\- Pop-corn.

\- Oh hell yes! - You agreed. – That would be amazing to have it here… Which one do you like, sweet or salty?

\- How about both? Salty caramel, huh? – Sam cocked an eyebrow.

\- Mmm… Perfection! - you nodded, looking at Clint Eastwood on the screen.

\- Hey… If we’re watching a western at the lunar base… Can we actually call ourselves “space cowboys”? - Sam asked thoughtfully.

\- Oh my God, - you burst out laughing and he joined you. - Brilliant! That’s totally who we are!

Laughing, you pressed your forehead against his shoulder for a moment. You noticed Sam slightly tensed up at this, and felt a little awkward.

\- Umm… Can you pause it for a sec? I’ll make us tea… At least we can have it instead of pop-corn, - Sam suggested, breaking the awkward silence.

\- Yeah, sure. Great idea, - you replied, smiling at him and pushing the pause button on the remote control panel.

As he left you sighed. You’ve been having this urge for a while already – the urge of some physical contact. To touch his hand or to rest your head on his shoulder… Pretty innocent desire, but you didn’t like it. You were worried that you probably liked Sam Bell a bit more than you should. It was a dangerous feeling. He was married after all. And he clearly adored his wife and his daughter, he always talked about them with such tenderness… There was absolutely no point in falling for him.  _“Relax, y/n. Maybe you won’t even see him again after this mission. Out of sight, out of mind…”_  - you said to yourself. You weren’t quite sure about the last statement though.

In the kitchen Sam Bell sighed too. You both experienced a certain attraction to each other, there was no doubt about it. This little moment suddenly reminded Sam of a dream he recently had. A dream that embarrassed him even more than erotic dreams he had sometimes about Tess… Even though that dream wasn’t quite erotic. It was just a kiss. But it wasn’t Tess who he kissed that time. It was  ** _you_**. Was this dream just a result of him spending a lot of time with you and seeing you every day mixed with his sexual frustration? Or maybe something else? Sam didn’t know. Whatever. You were gonna leave soon and everything would be back to the same routine - just him and GERTY until the end of the contract… He forced himself not to think of it for now and just enjoy a good movie in a good company as long as he still had this opportunity.

***

The morning after your western movie night you were having breakfast and listening to the music as usual when Sam appeared.

\- Oh here you are, sleepy head! - You teased. Then you noticed something in his look slightly changed.

\- Wow, you shaved? Looking good. Some special occasion? - You asked, already knowing the answer.

\- Yeah, um… - Sam scratched the back of his head - something he always did when he was a bit nervous. - There’s gonna be a message from Tess tonight, so…

You found it really cute that Sam wanted to look good even though he knew very well that Tess wasn’t able to see him. There was some problem with communication devices here and even you could do nothing about it.

\- Well that’s great, Sam! - You knew how much it meant for him. - Let’s celebrate it! How about a little happy dance?

You grabbed his hand and as if the stereo system read your mind, one of your favorite songs started playing - it was “Starman” by David Bowie.

\- Wait, I’m not really a great dancer… - Sam tried to protest.

\- Oh come on! Dance like no one is looking… Which is actually true - no one is looking at us, - you winked. - Besides, it’s a song about you! You’re a Starman, huh?

Sam chuckled at this.

\- Apparently, I am… Fine, let’s dance, - he gave up with a smile

You were swirling around the room in an awkward dance, laughing and trying not to step on each other’s toes. You were really glad to see him so happy. You also secretly enjoyed the sensation of his warm hands on your waist. At some point you tripped and as he caught you from falling, your upper bodies almost touched and for a second his face was millimeters from yours. Sam visibly blushed. Another awkward moment… Such moments started to happen more and more often between the two of you… Thank God the song came to its end already.

\- Okay, physical exercises done, now you need a good breakfast, champion, - you suggested with a little nervous laughter.

\- Oh yeah, good point, - he replied and you sensed relief in his intonation. - Food is always a good idea, right?..

***

You didn’t want to disturb Sam while he watched the video message, so after finishing all the tasks of the day you decided to go to your room and read. Sam told you that he’d knock at your door afterwards and you’d maybe watch a movie or just have a mug of tea together before going to bed.

So you made yourself comfortable on the bunk and opened a book, smiling to yourself. The book was one of your favorite, and you found the idea to take “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” to the Moon with you really cool and funny. You didn’t have much time to read until now though, so you really enjoyed it. The book grabbed your attention and you completely forgot about the time. When you took a look at the clock you realized it was quite late already. Where was Sam? Why hasn’t he knocked at your door yet? It was just a video message, after all, not a conversation or something… It could hardly be that long. Frowning, you decided to go check on him.

You found Sam in the recreation room sitting at the table in his glasses and an old baseball cap which he used to wear backwards and working on his model.

\- Sam?.. - You asked carefully, approaching and sitting on the chair next to him. - Are you okay?..

\- Yeah… I’m fine… - He mumbled, looking down at his knees. - Just wanted to stay alone for a little while.

\- No, you’re not. I’m not an idiot, Sam. You’re totally  ** _not_**  fine, - you reached your hand out to take off his glasses. - Hey… Look at me.

He sniffed and slowly lifted his head, facing you. Your heart shrank at the sight of his sad and slightly sore eyes. You started to seriously worry about him.

\- Oh gosh, Sam… What happened? Tell me… Something’s wrong with Tess?.. - You asked.

\- No, Tess is pretty fine… It’s just… - He stumbled a little. - I guess she’s just broken up with me.

\- What?.. – You couldn’t believe our ears. – Wait, but… how…

\- Well… Two years is a long term, - Sam shrugged. - And three is even longer… She found someone else… She said she’s very sorry…

He sniffed again, looking at you helplessly.

\- Oh, Sam… - You couldn’t really find the words to comfort him. You knew that only the thought of his family kept Sam away from sinking into depression at his hardest times. He clearly was devastated and probably no words could help. But you felt his pain almost physically and just had to do something about it. You brought your hand to his face and your fingertips gently brushed against his cheek in a desperate attempt to comfort him somehow. Sam suddenly flinched at your touch causing you frown.

\- Sorry, I’m… - an awkward smile slightly touched the corners of his lips. - It’s been a while since someone touched me with affection. A really long while…

\- Oh… I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, - you replied, letting go of his cheek, but he reached your wrist, stopping you and holding your hand in place.

\- You didn’t, - he said very quietly, his voice was almost a whisper. - Please…

You nodded slowly, caressing his cheek again, very softly, tracing a line to reach his chin. He shivered under your touch and took a sharp breath, trying to relax. You kept stroking him like that until his tension was almost gone and then you moved to his head. You took off his cap, putting it aside, and let your fingers run through his soft hair. Your heart was so full of tenderness towards him at the moment, you just couldn’t help it. You got off your chair and stepped closer. Resting one of your hands on his cheek, you bent down and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. You repeated the action, and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply, enjoying your feathery touches. You kissed his temple and went further down to his cheekbone. Sam’s lips were slightly parted, you could feel his warm breath on your skin… Your head went a little dizzy of this sudden closeness, and without really thinking of what you were doing, you placed your lips on his. He didn’t protest, letting you kiss the corners of his mouth and trace his lower lip with your tongue before sucking on it tenderly. Letting out a soft humming sound, Sam finally responded to your kiss. The tips of your tongues touched sending shivers down your spine. It was definitely the sweetest kiss you’ve ever had. The hair on the nape of his neck felt so soft under your finger-pads. Placing his hands on your waist, Sam was instinctively pulling you closer bit by bit and you felt like melting into him.

You would really like it to last forever, but at some point you had to break the kiss and take a breath. That’s when the realization of what you just did hit you. You really kissed Sam Bell. It happened so naturally, but now you suddenly felt incredibly awkward. You just wanted to comfort him, but it went a bit too far. For sure you didn’t want to make him do something he would possibly regret later. You lifted your eyes to meet Sam’s gaze. Seemed like he as well didn’t understand how it happened.

\- Sam… - You whispered, breaking the silence. - I… I don’t think it was the right thing… to do.

\- Yes… you’re right, probably… - his voice was slightly hoarse and shaky, so he cleared his throat. - I… I guess we’d better go to sleep now… It’s late…

\- Yeah, we should, - you nodded in agreement, stepping away from him. Sam stood up and you both headed to your bedrooms.

***

You were in bed, but couldn’t sleep at all. This situation made you way too emotional and you just couldn’t calm down. You liked Sam. You didn’t even try to deny it. What’s the point in lying to yourself anyways? You liked him  ** _much_**  more than you should. And he clearly liked you too, but… He loved Tess, who broke his heart into pieces, and now the whole thing looked like you’ve just taken advantage of him being sad, lonely and hurt… How awful! Even though you didn’t intend to kiss him - it just happened - you still felt bad about it. You felt bad about how much you liked it. The emotions overwhelmed you to the point you just couldn’t stay in bed anymore. You felt a strong urge to talk to Sam right now, to explain somehow… Well, actually you didn’t even know what you were going to say, but you just needed to get it off your chest.

You got up abruptly, headed to the door, threw it open, and… To your surprise you faced Sam, standing right in front of you. Your heart skipped a beat and you both froze in place for a second staring at each other. Then he gulped and stepped to you decidedly. You wanted to say something, but before you could figure it out, he leaned in, cupping your cheeks, and his lips crushed on yours in such a hot and needy kiss you could never expect from him.

Letting out a muffled whimper you grabbed onto his t-shirt and pulled him into the room. You reached the bunk and tumbled on it, him on top of you. Sam broke the kiss to look at you softly. He brushed a strand of hair away from your face and kissed you again, slowly and tenderly, savouring your lips. Your fingers entangled into his messy hair on the back of his head while your other hand rested on his upper arm, feeling his muscles flexing. Sam’s lips traced your jawline and he nuzzled into the side of your neck, inhaling deeply and peppering it with soft kisses.

\- Sam… - You mumbled shakily, still caressing his hair. - Sam, wait… I don’t want you to regret…

\- I won’t, - he whispered huskily against your skin. Then he lifted his head and looked you in the eye.

\- Will  ** _you_**?.. - He asked, slightly furrowing his eyebrows.

You shook your head no and pulled him back to you. Who were you trying to fool? You both needed each other desperately, like air, and it was impossible and useless to resist.

For a while you just kept kissing and stroking each other, enjoying the new sensations, until it became too hard to bear. So you sat up and helped each other to get rid of your shirts. You were the first to reach out and touch his upper body, fingers tracing lines from his chest, down his belly, causing his abs tense. You leaned in, kissing his lips and chin, then down his jawline to his neck. He shivered, sighing as your tongue reached his jugular. He clearly enjoyed this caress, you could see the goosebumps on his skin and you loved that soft purring sound which escaped him as you gently blew on the place you’ve just kissed. You felt his hands stroking your waist and pulling you closer. Your upper bodies touched and the sensation of his bare skin against yours was suddenly so intense it made your nipples harden almost instantly. You let him take his time to explore your body as well, and as his tongue and fingers caressed your breasts gently and without hurry, you felt like you were on fire. Sam softly pushed you back into lying position and you eagerly allowed him to take control. His lips were instantly back on yours and his hand snaked down your belly under the hem of your pajama pants. You gasped as his fingers brushed against your mound through thin fabric of your panties.

\- I think I already forgot how to touch a woman, - Sam breathed out, pressing his forehead to yours.

\- Not at all, you’re doing great, - you replied, being completely honest. - Don’t stop, please…

He smiled, placing a chaste kiss on your lips and started tugging down your pants and underwear. His finger slipped between your already soaking folds and found your swollen clit. Hissing of pleasure, you arched your back under his touch. Your body trembled, hips bucked towards his hand as he circled your bundle of nerves gently yet steadily. Sam kissed your temple and then you felt his breath against your ear.

\- Does it feel good? - He whispered.

\- Mhmmm, - you made, as his hoarse voice nearly sent you over the edge. You felt him getting harder against your thigh, and you let your hand slide down to the hem of his sweatpants and boxers. He gasped and moaned quietly as you cupped his bulge and started to stroke in a slow pace. It was clear that both of you wouldn’t last long.

\- Sam, - you whispered, - I need you…

He nodded, letting go of your core and getting on his feet just to take off his pants. Hovering over you, he gave you a slightly shy smile.

\- Hell… It’s really been a while, - he mumbled.

\- It’s okay. Come here.

Reaching your hand between your bodies, you slowly guided him inside you. Sam moaned at the sensation of your warmth around him. You pulled him closer, and he clung to you, desperate to get as much contact as possible. He kissed your cheeks, your nose and lips - everywhere he could reach. His movements were rather slow, yet deep and sensual. He felt amazing inside you and you both enjoyed your closeness to the fullest. Your fingers were running up and down his spine, ruffling his hair. You both were panting and moaning, placing sloppy kisses on each other’s lips, holding onto each other. You wrapped your legs tightly around his waist, feeling your climax approaching as his pace intensified and he hit all the right spots.

\- Sam… I love you, - the words fell from your lips all of a sudden, against your will, and you scared yourself with them. It was something you didn’t dare to admit. Sympathy, attraction - yes, but love? It was something too big and complicated…

\- I love you too, - Sam whispered into your ear, and at that very moment you felt your walls clenching and pulsing around his length. Intense wave of pleasure covered you from head to toes, your body quivering underneath him. Sam groaned, burying his face into the crook of your neck, twitching and throbbing inside you. His body was still shivering and his heart beat fast as he collapsed on you. You felt limp under his weight, but it was a pleasant sensation. Still holding each other, you tried to regain your breath. After a while Sam lifted his head to look at you. His green eyes were soft and sparkling, you felt like drowning into them.

\- Are you alright?.. - You hushed, placing a gentle kiss on the tip of his nose. He smiled and your heart filled up with warmth. His hand found yours, fingers entangled, and he brought it to his lips to kiss your knuckles.

\- Never felt better.

***

The sound of Sam’s alarm clock from his room woke you up as usual, only this time you weren’t alone in your room. Sam was still here. The bunk was really small, and you were lying very close to each other, legs entangled, his arms wrapped around you, his face buried into the crook of your neck, his breath tickling your skin. You normally enjoyed cuddles, but never ever had fallen asleep like this with any of your lovers. Not that you had many of them though. You reached to caress his hair and he sighed, lifting his face to look up at you.

\- Hey… - he whispered, his voice slightly hoarse after sleep.

\- Hey.

He brought his hand to your face stroking your cheek with his fingertips, and his big green eyes looked at you carefully, as if he was trying to remember your every feature. You felt so close to him right now and your heart was about to explode with tenderness, but on the other hand you already felt your soul aching. What was gonna happen with you next? Yes, you could report your bosses about some difficulties, you could postpone your return to the Earth, but you still had to go back soon. And he would have to stay here until the end of the year. Many things could happen by this time. What if you would never see him again? What if he would never look at you like this again?.. Suddenly, as if he read your thoughts, Sam started to talk.

-  You know what, y/n? When I’ll be back to the Earth, I’ll find you there, that’s for sure. We will go to the movies… Will find some cinema that shows good old stuff… Is it still possible to find such places? - You nodded and he continued. - We’ll grab the biggest pop-corn and we’ll be holding hands and kissing at the last row, and then we’ll make a lot of pictures of us together… What do you think?

\- Sounds perfect, - you smiled at him, ruffling his hair. - I really wish it to happen.

\- It will happen, - Sam replied in a suddenly firm tone, pulling you closer.

\- Promise? - You mumbled, kissing the side of his neck softly.

\- Promise.

You sighed deeply and nestled against him, emerging into his warmth and trying to chase sad thoughts out of your mind. You still had time, after all. You still had it.

***

**A YEAR LATER**

And then it happened. That big scandal with the clones and stuff… You didn’t know if Sam -  ** _your_** _Sam_  - was alive and well or not, because you didn’t work for Lunar Industries any more. You were one of the first people to be fired. Probably they thought you might know too much. You could actually find some numbers, talk to your former colleagues… But you weren’t sure you were ready to learn the truth. Sam Bell you saw in the news definitely wasn’t the one you knew. You were 100% sure that you’d recognize  _your_  Sam out of thousands of clones. So what if?.. No. You refused to think he’s dead. You preferred just not to know much about all that, as long as possible. But the days went on and on, and every night bitter thoughts overwhelmed you.

The “Out of sight, out of mind” principle didn’t work at all in your case: you still remembered every little detail about him. His ridiculous Hawaiian shirts and slippers that made him look so cozy. His beautiful green eyes and those tiny wrinkles that appeared when he smiled. The sound of his voice and his unique laughter. Incredibly soft hair on the nape of his neck. His stubbly chin and the way he used to tickle your neck with it. The warmth of his hands and the taste of his lips. You remembered how tightly he held you the last night you were together, like he just didn’t want to let you go. Like he was afraid that you’d vanish just like that. These bunks were definitely too small for two people, so you slept clinging to each other as if you were one, but none of you felt uncomfortable. His smell and his steady heartbeat, his warm breath against your skin - you missed all these terribly every night lying alone in your bed. You needed him so much it hurt. Time didn’t cure, it only seemed to make it worse.

That morning on your way to the supermarket you were just casually checking your mailbox. The usual newspaper, your bills to pay, and… a strange envelope without any address. A gasp escaped you when you opened it. It was a picture of you and him, looking so happy together. You gulped nervously on the verge of tears. You checked inside the envelope looking for anything else, any letter, any small note… Nothing. 

Then you turned the photo and immediately felt your heart beating faster.

There was an address. You knew the place, it was a… cinema. Except the address, there was only one word written in a familiar handwriting…

**_“Promise.”_ **

**Author's Note:**

> A few words about the ending. My first intention when I started this fic was just to leave the characters cuddling in bed, as I typically do. But then a really angsty idea came to my mind - Sam 1 dies and Sam 2 brings you the photo. The idea with the photo seemed nice to me, but… I just couldn’t write it this way. I mean… If you want some heavy angst you can always watch the movie, right? And fanfiction is supposed to fix things and comfort you (in my humble opinion). So in the end I came up with this variant. A kind of an open ending. Who will the reader meet at that cinema - will she hug and kiss her Sam 1 or will she find there Sam 2 who wants to talk? It’s up to you to decide. I just thought there must be hope after all.


End file.
